Content
Nettle is one of the first spring plants with a rich chemical composition that can replenish the body with essential vitamins. For culinary use, it is harvested at the beginning of growth, when the stems and leaves are succulent. Dried raw materials lose their taste and are suitable only for medicinal or cosmetic purposes. To stock up until next spring and preserve nutritional value, it is better to freeze nettles.
Freezing purposes
The amount of useful substances in nettles is much greater than in greens and fruits. For example, the concentration of vitamin C, B2, K is 3 times higher than that of citrus fruits.
Nettle is used to make soup and added to pies filling. You can freeze the herb whole, puree it for seasoning, or cut it into arbitrary pieces.
Preparing nettles for freezing
Nettles are harvested in April or early May, when the stems are not yet fibrous. Take the top part. If the plant is already tough, then only the leaves are plucked. It is necessary to have time before flowering, because the green mass then loses its nutritional value.
After collection, the raw materials are processed:
- Wash, place in saline solution (6 tablespoons per 1.5 liters of water).
- A weight is placed on top so that the green mass is immersed in the liquid. Leave for 25–30 minutes.
- The water is carefully drained.
The raw materials are washed under running water and laid out on a cloth napkin.
- You can only freeze dry nettles (without any remaining moisture).
Methods for freezing nettles for the winter
You can freeze in airtight or sealed bags, in a container with a lid, or in ice cube trays. It all depends on the method of processing the workpiece. It is necessary to take care to protect your hands from burns. Nettle leaves marks on the skin even after soaking in a saline solution.
How to freeze leaves
One of the popular and inexpensive methods is freezing. Treat with saline solution and dry well. Place it tightly in a bag, tie it or pump out the air (if it is vacuum packaging), and place it in the freezer. It is better to package a small amount in a container so that it is enough for one use.
It will not be possible to re-freeze nettles; they completely lose their shape and a significant part of their nutrients.
Packages with raw materials are left at a low temperature for about a day. Then they are sent to the freezer compartment, placing them horizontally (on top of each other).Nettles will not lose their shape and will take up less space.
Freezing chopped nettles
Processed and dried greens are taken along with the stems. You can cut with a knife on a cutting board or use scissors, as you prefer. You can freeze it in two ways:
- Place on a tray in the freezer and leave for three hours until the pieces become hard.
- Pour the workpiece into a bag or container.
The packages are placed tightly in the freezer.
Freezing nettles in bunches
The freezing method is more painstaking, but the nettle remains intact after removal from the refrigerator. This method is used if the plant is needed for making salads. The prepared green mass is divided into portions, approximately 4–5 branches each.
For the method of harvesting in bunches, you will need cling film
The packaging material is cut into pieces taking into account the length of the stems - they must be completely closed. Collect nettles in a bunch and wrap them in two layers of film. Place in a container and place in the freezer. You can lay it out on a pallet in the chamber, after 12 hours put everything in a bag and put it into storage.
How to freeze nettles and sorrel
Sorrel and nettle grow at the same time. Green cabbage soup recipes often include both plants, and you can freeze them as a mixture in one container. The preparation can also be used for filling pies, so it is better to cut the plants into pieces and mix.
The proportion does not matter, but more often both plants are used in the same quantity:
- Nettle is treated in a salt solution. The sorrel is simply washed well. Allow to dry.
- Cut into pieces and mix.
- Take a large plastic bag, place the slices in it, and tie it.
- Distribute on the bottom of the freezer compartment in an even layer.
It is easy to break off the part necessary for culinary use from a thin frozen briquette
Chopped greens can be poured into vacuum bags for one serving and immediately placed in the chamber. This method of harvesting can be simplified and the plants can be frozen in a bunch consisting of sorrel and nettles. Wrap in cling film, fill a bag or container with packages and place in the chamber.
Freezing nettle puree
All above-ground parts of the plant are used for processing. The output will be a homogeneous liquid mass.
How to freeze nettle puree:
- The processed greens are divided into parts so that they fit into the blender.
- Add 60 ml of water and grind until smooth.
- Pour into silicone baking molds or ice cube trays. It is necessary to freeze until the puree is completely hardened.
Remove from the container into a bag or container and place in the chamber
The preparation is used for sauce or soup. Can be used for cosmetic purposes as a face mask or added to water to rinse hair after washing your hair.
Freezing blanched nettles
For this method, a young plant is used, only the tops are harvested, about 10–12 cm each. You can skip the treatment in a salt solution; just rinse the nettle well under the tap.
How to freeze raw materials:
- Dip the green mass into boiling water and leave for 4–6 minutes.
- The raw materials are caught and placed in a sieve or colander.
You can use a slotted spoon to remove from boiling water.
- When the water has drained and the raw material has cooled, squeeze it out in small parts.
- Place in small containers and place in the freezer.
To prevent products from taking up much space, vacuum bags are used
Storage periods and rules
Store nettles in the container in which they were originally frozen. Only use the freezer compartment. The temperature is maintained constant, minimum -16 0C. Defrost the required amount for cooking; the preparation cannot be repeated. If the planting technology and storage requirements are followed, nettle does not lose its nutritional value until the next harvest.
Conclusion
You can freeze nettles in several ways: collect them in bunches and pack them in cling film; Make a puree, pour into containers and freeze. The easiest way is to put leaves in bags. For lovers of baking fillings, the nettles are pre-boiled. You can make juice from green mass, filter and freeze it to add to a vitamin cocktail in winter.
